Except for pictures, I have never seen a red kite; I have heard of them but have never had the pleasure of seeing one in nature. The other day, I was talking to my good friend AJ Ashley who lives in the UK. AJ has been visiting an area on a regular basis with her daughter and they have been seeing these really incredible birds. She asked me if I knew what the totem messages might be for the Red Kite. I told her that I did not, but that I would find out. So, dear friend, this post is dedicated to you!
I have to admit I had to fly around, probably not as gracefully as a kite, to find the information to come up with the lessons of this bird of prey. What I found is quite interesting. I thought that since many of my readers may be like me and have never encountered this raptor in their own area, maybe this video showing kites in flight in the UK might help before we learn what it can teach us. I just love that distinct wing pattern in flight!
These exquisite and buoyant birds talk to us about grace and gentleness which is kind of amazing when you consider that for the most part these birds of prey are scavengers. At one time in the UK they were not welcomed at all, even though they were responsible for getting rid of carrion and garbage. Although when you think about it, here are these birds who are willing to do the job that most don’t want to bother with (dead and smelly things!) and in the next instance they can soar overhead with a grace and beauty that will just take your breath away.
Kites are also connected to the underworld, which also makes sense by them preferring to eat things that are already dead rather than to catch a live animal and have to kill it before they eat it. That connection to the underworld reminds us to be open to psychic awareness and to learn how to breathe in a relaxed way allowing our minds to open to new thoughts and messages from the spirits.
The Red Kite does not live in the North American continent and for quite some time has been on the Near Threatened status list even in the UK. They have been re-introduced in Europe and there is some success in seeing more mating pairs, as my friend AJ can attest to. I can imagine that seeing this medium to large predator in the sky is the equivalent to someone here in the US seeing an eagle flying high. It is due to this survival that the Red Kite is also associated with change and prophecy.
As with all birds in the raptor family, a kite’s eyesight is remarkable. The lesson there is that we should always remember to try to look at the big picture and to see things with as much clarity as we can muster. We should remember to look to the distance to see what might be coming in our future which goes along with the prophecy lesson.
I am so glad that AJ asked me about this bird because I really learned a lot as I studied it’s message! I can not help but think that it was meant for me to research the Red Kite so that I would hear its message. Since it is not a bird that would come into my daily life. The messages of looking in the distance for the future and having a clarity in my vision really rings a strong bell with me and the stuff that is going on in my life. I can see where the message is going to mean something to AJ, too.
I had two red kites hovering over my car on A92 in Perthshire, Scotland. I know we have a Red Kite venue not far away but this was beautiful and unexpected.
Lovely article, I saw a red kite hovering over our cottage in Hampshire last week, the message you have given about clarity and looking into the distance regarding the future really resonated with me and especially as I have never seen one around here before. I heard it calling and that is what alerted me go outside and look up into the sky
I live in Australia, and in my area (which is just outside a major city), I have regular low fly overs by kites, especially with high level wind currents. Not sure they are exactly same variety, but they look just like a red kite. They are truly majestic to see in real life, especially like today when one swooped a mere 10m above me. Our eyes locked. Magical moment. Feel very blessed.
Hi where I live it’s country side and see quite a few red kites the other day I saw 7 and always clarify what is happening at that time.
We have a family of Kites near us, so now feel really lucky.
One day my partner and myself were coming home and there were 5 above us, we had to stop the car and watch them. They were in a small area flying high then coming low, what seemed in turn.
Yesterday me and my Mum, were travelling to her house and along the way saw 4 in different places. It’s made me look up the spiritual meaning, what was the message! Especially as I dreamt of one last night.
I had this happen to me also where they were all taking it in turns, did you find out the meaning?
I was in my garden, a feather blew in. I looked it up as it was unusual. It’s a red kite. So I wonder if it brings some sort of message. I googled and found this post.
Most interesting, thank you. I live in an area of England where their reintroduction has been most successful over the last 20 years or so. A pair have successfully nested in our copse and raised young and I have the delight of seeing them and hearing their distinctive whistle every day. I was interested in their spiritual significance because a young adult has adopted a lookout, calling and roosting spot in a tree right outside my house the last couple of months. He/she calls and flies around low when I go outside. Delightful.
I live on the outskirts of London, near to where these birds were reintroduced. I see four sometimes five flying about my block of flats daily. I feed the starlings and Jackdaws everyday out my window and I think this has attracted the red kites. All of a sudden one flies downward incredibly fast and grabs a poor little starlings in its talons and flies off fast. The squirrel I feed has disappeared too recently. I now don’t know if I’m doing bad or good by feeding the birds as the kites eat them whilst they feed. No starlings have come near my window feeder all week either. Red kites are beautiful, so big too. But I feel bad for the smaller birds now
Just saw a beautiful red kite this morning circling over my bungalow in Ludlow it took my breathe away as Iv never seen one that nearby before. I heard it’s calling sound an actually thought it was a cat, then realised it was coming from above the house. Truly magnificent it made my day!
i’ve seen one this morning, circling above my house after i just got a reiki session from my friend…. it was very impressive. he was circling for a few minutes and a raven circled around him 🤔🙈🧚♀️ very mystical situation 💜 very beautiful bird 🥰
I heard unusual screeches, so I came running, first to the front yard, then realized it was coming from the back of our house, to the North. Then I saw these three HUGE red kites flying around together here in Central Florida! didn’t recognize them so had to look them up. Their markings on the bottom of their wings were unmistakable. Absolutely stunning….simultaneously circling in interconnected very large spheres. There are nesting Eagles nearby which we see out and about occasionally. I imagine they were eyeing something to eat.
Gateshead … we see Red Kites often. Just seen my closest view yet; in my garden, I felt impelled to glance up, silently gliding by approximately 6 to 7 metres above my garden. So stunning! Brought me to tears of joy. Hence I am here to discover the Spirit Animal story of them. Thank you all for the information.
I live in East Sussex and I see red kites constantly. I cannot deny that I feel they bring a message, that they are messengers of the spirit realm. It always feels so special to see them gliding and swooping in the sky above. One lives near my workshop and I often stop in my tracks to watch it circling in the air. Stunning.
I live in Schoenefeld, southern area of Berlin Germany. This morning I thought of having my brakfast on my balcony and as I set relaxed on my chair I watched the sky and I saw this magnificent bird hunting. She put on a show for just a minute and then off she went. I feel blessed.
Thanks for this! Living near the Chilterns in Oxfordshire, I see kites regularly and woke up today hearing one call, prompting me to search for a meaning.
Heyo
Thanks for the insight of the meaning..
I saw my first red kite around 2-3 years ago, in UK, Hertfordshire, between Ware and Widford. Amazing, it was, now there are many pairs in all parts of Hertfordshire.
Still a sight to behold.
Thank you for the message kite.
This article is wonderful and I truly believe I was meant to come across it, my father past away from cancer last year and he love Red Kites, and now I’m visited every day by Red Kites, reading this post feels like he’s guiding me to make the decisions I need to make for my future, I feel so comforted knowing he’s still taking care of me, Thank you so much for this post. and for the link to your friends blog 👌🏼
Funnily enough when my father passed away my mother saw a Red Kite out the window of the hospital and every time I’m feeling sad or anxious one appears. 💕
We have black kites here in Australia.. I wonder if it’s the same ind of message?
When I made my first drum I journeyed for what to paint on it – I was shown a red kite 🙂 for many years I wanted to see one, but there weren’t many and there was talk of them being mostly in mid-Wales. Now many years later I live in mid Wales. There is a place in Rhayader that feeds the kites each day – they have been doing it for over 20 years. We went last summer and about 300 wild kites came in. What an experience! They said that in the winter they have up to 600 come in each day. Each has its territory so they will travel great distances to be there. Once you hear their gentle and eerie whistle you will always know a kite! Now I recognise them they are everywhere! One flies over our house every day – sometimes two. When we drive to London they are now in the sky nearly all the way there. A beautiful bird. It’s energy is more gentle than an eagle. Thank you for posting about the kite, it has been a joy to read it.
Ahhh it’s so lovely to read the information above.
I live in the Highlands & take my new horse out riding in the steep hills and forests.
I keep seeing this kite, first circling above my own cottage about 2 miles away and now, every time I go riding, it’s there.
It gave my horse & I quite a fright, it sounded like a dog (we were trekking a long a forest path where there was unlikely to be people or dogs). I could tell my horse was being hyper alert, so I was trying to calm him but also wondering where the noise was coming from. I looked up and there was the bird soaring right above us and making the strangest barking type sound.
I now see it quite often. Then today, it came soaring over & I actually thought it might land on one of the horses backs that I feed (it’s an old horse, he’s not mines but I feed him because his owners don’t really bother about him). Then, it flew off and circled above my own horse (the horses don’t even notice, nor care & he’s a big bird)…then landed, hopped about next to them & flew off to a tree.
What a stunning bird & he’s massive, white tipped tail feathers. You would swear this bird was tame though, I am not kidding I was nearly ducking as he swooped into the field. I can only imagine some of the horse food is attracting mice or the likes, so it makes for good hunting? However, he is there all the time now & not bothered by the horses or I.
I feel quite honoured that it treats me in the same way as the horses.
Because of this, I too, was interested in it’s symbolic meaning because I can say for sure that I am not used to such a large bird always being there & coming in so close.
Thank you, a very informative article. Mum gave me a beautiful photograph of a red kite today, so I was looking for its meaning. They are breeding well in North Yorkshire. Last summer I was helping a friend with a car boot stall at Pannel, near Harrogate. Wonderfully, above us all, a red kite soared and swooped. Everyone stopped to watch. Later, as we were leaving, it had a mock dogfight with a crow. Both exhibited fantastic aerial skills.
Hi there I just came across this article and would just like to at I live in Berkshire (UK) and this year has seen a massive rise in red kites.. The other day a friend and I were driving and I got him to pull over as there was 12 red kites all gracefully flying/circling around.
Hi Mark,
I just wanted to say that I know Red Kites from my grandads garden – he lived in Woodley, Reading. I now live in London and saw a Red Kite here for the first time last week and today I’ve seen 2!! I always think of my grandad and his gorgeous garden.
Yes….I’m visiting Berkshire today….and I saw a 15 or 20 of them flying together..over a playing fields in the middle of extensive woods…in school grounds..
AWESOME…I’ve never seen such a sight…
Goodness, what an incredible totem the Red Kite is! Thank you for researching the meaning, Bev. As you say in your post, I most definitely do see a connection with what is happening in both our lives right now.
You may like to know that the Red Kites we see the most are a breeding pair, currently with two babies born this year. The babies have learned to soar, but are still a little ungainly, with feathers that are more fluffly than the adult birds.
Even when we cannot see them, we can hear them calling to each other and a few weeks ago we were lucky enough to see one of the adults with one of the babies sitting on fence posts only 50 yards away from us.
I live in the UK and spotted two kites soaring magnificently above. I’m afraid I wasn’t quick enough to catch them on camera.
Interestingly I came across this post my name is also Ashley (J). Life’s little coincidences. 🙏